Combined Degrees for Binghamton Undergraduates

Fast Track!

Read what the Press says about Combined Degrees!

Earn a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Just Five Years

If you are one of Binghamton's talented, motivated undergraduate students, we offer you  the opportunity to complete both a bachelor's and a focused master's-level program in just five years. Normally you should apply for such a program late in your sophomore year or early in your junior year.

Why Consider a Combined Degree?

  • You'll Save Time. You can earn an undergraduate and a graduate degree in less time than by doing each separately. (Most master's degree programs require 1.5  to 2.5 years to complete.)

  • You'll Save Money. The shortened time to degree means less tuition. In addition, you'll be ready to enter the job market sooner, so you can use your advanced degree to start earning a salary sooner.

  • You'll Improve Your Employment Opportunities. With an advanced (graduate) degree, you will have greater opportunity for career advancement and higher salaries.

  • You Can Advance to a PhD Program More Quickly: If you are considering PhD study, you'll obtain your master's degree and be ready for application to a PhD program in just five years, thus reducing the overall time to completion of the doctoral degree.

Degree Programs Available at Binghamton

  • Master degree in Management or Accounting

  • Master degree in Engineering or Computer Science

  • Master degree in area of Arts & Sciences

  • Master of Arts in Teaching

  • Master degree in Public Administration

    • Asian & Asian American Studies BA - MPA
    • French BA - MPA
    • Italian BA - MPA
    • Political Science BA - MPA*
    • Spanish BA - MPA
    • Theater BA - MPA*

    * pending final approval

     

    The Details

    Admission

    Admission to the combined-degree program involves two parts:

    Step 1: Declaration of intent to apply to the combined-degrees program (which occurs during the freshman, sophomore or junior years)

    Step 2: Admission to the Graduate School for the graduate and fifth year (application begins during the undergraduate junior year (sixth semester) and must be finalized during the senior year)

    Step 1: Declaration of intent to apply, as an undergraduate, to the combined-degrees program:  Generally during your sophomore or junior year, you should submit a "declaration of intent to apply" form directly to the department that administers the specific combined-degrees program.

    The process may vary from program to program; each combined-degree program will normally advertise the specific admission requirements and process on its website. The individual program will review your "declaration of intent to apply" and communicate its advice to you directly. 

    Step 2: Formal admission to the Graduate School for completion of the combined-degrees program:  During your junior year, you should begin formal application to the program and no later than the last semester of the senior year, you should complete the Graduate School's application for admission. Your graduate admission would be for the first semester of your fifth year. This admission process for the master degree is exactly the same as for all other graduate applicants (some exceptions by department may apply).

    Click here to begin the application process.

    Depending on your performance at the undergraduate level, letters of recommendation and interview, the administering program will admit or deny you to graduate studies. (Normally, if you are working with the combined degrees program advisor, you will know your application status.) The Graduate School will notify you of the official admission decision.

    Progression from Undergraduate to Graduate Status

    Combined-degrees students complete all requirements for the undergraduate degree during the first four years. The combined-degree curriculum is defined in such a way that you can begin taking graduate-level courses during your third and/or fourth years, some of which meet both undergraduate and graduate requirements, as defined by the specific combined-degree program.  During these first four years you are considered an undergraduate student, you pay undergraduate tuition and fees, and you register according to your undergraduate level.

    Your undergraduate degree must be conferred before you are advanced to graduate student status. During your  fourth (undergraduate senior) year, you must apply for conferral of the undergraduate degree (using the Application for Undergraduate Degree form available from the Registrar's Office or at http://registrar.binghamton.edu). The Registrar's Office will certify the conferral of your undergraduate degree and list you in the commencement program. You are invited to participate in commencement along with other recipients of the bachelor's degree.

    During your fifth year, you are advanced to graduate student status and you will pay graduate tuition and fees. Combined-degree graduate students are required to maintain full-time registration for two semesters, fulfill the university residency requirement of 24 credits, and follow the course sequence as outlined by the specific program. Combined-degree graduate students cannot take undergraduate courses during this fifth year. Doing so has negative implications for financial aid, transcripts, and GPA.

    Registration

    While an undergraduate, you may encounter registration restrictions when attempting to register for graduate courses. In such cases, you can obtain assistance with registration from the administering department.

    Transcripts

    Two transcripts, one undergraduate and one graduate, will show your completed coursework.   Your undergraduate transcripts will contain all courses taken as an undergraduate, including any graduate courses taken during the first four years. Your graduate transcripts will contain all courses taken as a graduate student during the fifth year. All courses shown on the undergraduate transcript (including your graduate courses) will be used to calculate your undergraduate GPA. Your graduate GPA will be calculated using only the graduate courses taken during your fifth year.

    Unless you make a specific request for an undergraduate or graduate transcript, both sets will be issued together.

    Leaving the Combined-Degree Program

    If, after being admitted to the combined-degree program, you decide not to pursue a graduate degree (or if you are not admitted to the graduate program), you may change your major back to a regular undergraduate program at any time. But if you choose not to pursue a graduate degree, you must notify the administering department in writing of this decision; this notification should include the specific undergraduate major that you intend to pursue. 

    When students leave a combined-degree program, no additional tuition charges will be levied for graduate courses taken in excess of undergraduate policy.

    Financial Aid

    As an undergraduate student, you may receive federal financial aid (through the Office of Student Financial Aid & Employment) for both undergraduate and graduate courses. However, once you becomes a graduate student, financial aid is not available for undergraduate courses. In addition, financial aid as a graduate student is not available until your undergraduate degree has been conferred. This is why it is important for combined-degree students to complete all undergraduate degree requirements and apply for an undergraduate degree during the fourth year. Consultation with a financial aid counselor during the fourth and fifth years is strongly advised.

    Note that combined-degree students are not normally awarded teaching/graduate/research assistantships because those responsibilities make it difficult to complete the combined-degrees program in the required time of 5 years and the University is already subsidizing the combined-degrees by allowing some graduate courses to double count for the undergraduate degree and at the undergraduate tuition rate.